Species delimitation and population structure of Microbotryum saponariae on Saponaria species

• Applicant: Dr. Angela Schäfer
• Subject Area: Evolution and Systematics of Plants and Fungi
• Term: from 2011 to 2014
• Project identifier: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 204989230

Speciation and radiation led to tremendous species richness in plant parasitic fungi. But the understanding of micro-evolutionary processes that would help in correct species delimitation is still limited. Members of the fungal plant parasitic genus Microbotryum (Pucciniomycotina) on Caryophyllaceae were addressed as one species for a long time. Only infection studies and molecular phylogenies revealed a high amount of cryptic species in this lineage indicating that almost every host plant species has its own parasite species. In contrast, Microbotryum saponariae displays another pattern on the host genus Saponaria and the parasite seems to infect three different host species of various geographic ranges. Whether this pattern is based on an unspecific interaction or represents an early stage of speciation is unclear.In this project samples of M. saponariae on Saponaria officinalis and S. pumila will be analysed with the help of microsatellite markers to unravel the population structure and host specificity. Together with infection studies, these data will not only provide a better understanding of microevolution, but will also provide data about the impact of geographical ranges on speciation processes.

• DFG Programme: Research Grants